Q & A

ROBERT HAEHLE Garden Q&A

October 11, 2002|ROBERT HAEHLE Garden Q&A

Q. We are new to Florida and our palm looks bad. It is part of a matched set in our front yard. The new fronds are brown and the upper trunk is starting to split. What should we do? -- Julie Rapp, Weston

A. Your palm is a royal palm, which can grow to more than 100 feet tall. It probably has frizzletop, a disease that can be corrected by adding manganese sulfate. Look to new growth for improvement. Fertilize the palm and other landscape plants in March, June and October. What concerns me is the palm appears to be planted directly under the overhead wires. The palm has no place to grow to its expected height and will fry when it hits the wires. This may also cause power failures. You should hire someone to move the palm. Substitute pygmy date palm, which will only grow to 15 feet in height.

A. Your plant has soluble salt burn from fertilizer. Flush the soil with 3 times the volume of water of the pot. For example, a 1-gallon pot should be flushed with 3 gallons of water. Repot with fresh soil.

Q. Enclosed is a picture of a houseplant I was given. It had no name or instructions with it. I water the plant once a week. It is growing but has brown leaves on the bottom. What is its name and what care does it need? -- Jo Kirschbrown, Pompano Beach

A. The plant is a corn plant, which is a good house or outdoor plant. It grows tall and narrow naturally and it's natural for lower old leaves to drop off. Fertilize monthly with Peters 20-20-20. Continue watering on the weekly schedule. You can plant it outside as a border background plant when it becomes too tall for the house.

Q. Can you identify the plant in the photo? Does it need to be kept in a pot and how do you care for it? -- Kay Wollert, Pompano Beach

A. The plant is a Queen of the Night cactus, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, which grows naturally like orchids, attaching to trees in damp, tropical climates. It probably is best left in a pot. Treat it as a hanging basket. Fertilize monthly with Peters 20-20-20 and water every two to three days. It prefers bright indirect light for best results.

Q. I have a pot-bound clivia that has bloomed every year and tripled in size. I am going to divide it this year. -- Bob Rand, Oakland Park

A. I do not like plants in pots because they require a lot of attention. My clivia is in the ground in a shady area and has been overtopped by other groundcover plants. I know it is still there, but the bending required to remove the groundcovers has put me off. Congratulations on your success.

Q. What is the plant in the enclosed photos? What causes the leaves to be chewed? -- Patricia Sly, Margate

A. The plant is a canna lily, which will bloom, die back and resprout through the year. Canna leaf roller is the caterpillar causing leaf damage. You can use Thuricide to control the moth/caterpillar.

Q. We have a big live oak that is dropping leaves on our driveway. Can this be stopped? The tree has gall growth on it and is shedding twigs now. What causes this? -- Cyril Parkanyi, Boca Raton

A. Live oaks do their major leaf shedding in spring but can drop leaves and twigs through the year. The galls you describe are caused by either mites or tiny wasps and are not serious unless they occur in excessive numbers.

Q. Can you tell me what the insect is on the enclosed jatropha leaf and how to control it? -- Cindi Wankmuller, Deerfield Beach

A. The insect is a mealybug. Control it with Bayer's Advanced Tree and Shrub Control, following label directions. This product can be used as a soil drench, eliminating spraying.

Q. What can we do to control ants? -- Elene Hartmanis, Boca Raton

A. Outside fire ants can be controlled with Amdro bait if it does not get wet. An organic fire ant bait is Payback, which is available through Southern Ag at www.southernag.com. Terrachlor bait traps are effective for most indoor ants.

Q. I have several medinella plants that were thriving but lately have declined. I have dried curled leaves on the plants. I use various fertilizers and Sevin to control bugs. What is wrong? When is jackfruit ripe? -- Celia Moroz, Fort Lauderdale

A. Medinella is an epiphytic plant that grows on trees in nature. If the soil it is planted in is heavy, the roots could rot from lack of oxygen. I would plant them in very well-drained soil with part of the root system out of the ground. They are challenging to grow. Excess fertilizer and using Sevin when it is more than 85 degrees also could cause burning and dieback. Wait until the jackfruit colors over and has some give before harvesting.

Q. My croton leaves look bad. The plants are under the eaves of my front porch. Do Lakeview orange jasmine get the same caterpillars as the night-blooming jasmine? How do I control them? -- Yvonne Llarena, Fort Lauderdale